Victor Cijs (pronounced as ‘size’) is my name. I am an experienced communication strategist, copywriter and behaviour influencer. I help organizations use persuasive messages, words that get people moving. I have been doing this work for more than 35 years. With great successes. And great pleasure.

As a consumer, you enjoy the entertainment value of a campaign. But as a client, you just want it to work. Right? The two things are often mixed up in marketing. What works is usually not what is used. Proven behavioural techniques should be the foundation of any campaign, guiding the creative ideas.

I focus on the behavioural effects of communication. In my approach, I apply all the knowledge known to me about emotions and behavior from social psychology, neuromarketing, market psychology, communication and advertising. That’s quite a lot by now.

How difficult it is to ‘just’ influence people’s behavior. To get them to buy your product, sign up for your training, sign up for your service, join your club, etc.

Moreover. with my team (& Co), I also develop the persuasive creative ideas. And we take care of all the production work.

Methodology

– Research: determinants of behavior.
– Analysis: drivers and resistances.
– Messages: selecting persuasive promises and influencing techniques.

– Creation: developing results-oriented concepts for website and campaign.
– Production: site construction, design, texts, seo, sea, photos, videos, etc.
– Optimizations: evaluation and next steps.

Results

My approach has produced many successful projects. For example, in recent years I have helped Bieze Food Group achieve a structural increase in sales of their salads on supermarket fresh shelves. I supported IMK (the Institute for Small and Medium Enterprises) in transforming into an online organization. I helped tech start-up Robin Radar make their drone detection system Iris big globally. I created the website and campaign for Palet, making this institution for gifted and highly sensitive children grow like crazy. I helped the Zaanse Golf Club recruit more members. And I have structurally realized for the high schools ARH Bergen, Calvijn College Amsterdam, Comenius Lyceum Amsterdam, Cygnus Gymnasium Amsterdam, Havo De Hof Amsterdam and Stad College Almere many more first-year enrolments.

I am proud of it. Each time the key was to really understand the conscious and unconscious needs or wishes of the target group. And respond to that creatively with primal emotions, desires and behavioral techniques.

How?

To influence behavior, you need to understand how the mind works. Really basic knowledge: how does our behavior arise? Spoiler: mostly not through awareness or rational decisions. At least 95% of our choices come from unconscious reflexes.

A few examples:

To begin with, we prefer convenience. And not just when we are lazy. Even if we want to perform. We love things that are easy. That is rooted deeply in our system. Millions of years ago, we learned how to conserve our energy, deal with acute danger and gather food.

In addition, humans are really social animals. We want to be connected to others, to belong. This too stems from survival principles: together you stand stronger against outside dangers. We are also attracted to people with authority. And we are sensitive to reciprocity, what goes around, comes around. Occasionally that conflicts with our need for autonomy: we want to decide for ourselves what we do, and do not want others to impose anything on us.

On top of that, we need certainty and predictability. This is why, for example, we maintain our habits. And imitate who and what we like. We also want to hold on to a positive self-image, feeling good about our behavior, performance and preferences. Moreover scarcity, stress and shame often play a role.

My personality

I make contact easily, reach out, take initiatives. I have the urge to find new creative solutions every day. I am a combination of spontaneous, calm and deliberate. I always listen to my inner voice, my feelings, my unconscious. That gives me confidence and makes me strong. On top of that, I’m nice too.

Your companion

I will be your proactive companion, advisor, direction giver. Personal and flexible. Lightning fast if needed. Solid, calm, steady on course. As a marketing and communications specialist, I am a sounding board for directors, executives, managers and marketers.

Who are Co?

Cijs&Co is a networking organization. I (Cijs) work with a team of experienced messengers (&Co). Creatives, copywriters, art directors, designers, dtp artists, web designers, videographers, commercial makers, photographers with various specialties, app designers, site builders, seo, sea, social media, online, crm, dm, email and marketing automation specialists, media strategists, online strategists, videographers, photographers, 3D producers, illustrators and presentation trainers.

This allows me to customise to your organisation and schedule to your planning. You may want to do a part of the work yourself, possibly under my guidance? No problem. And I work with your regular suppliers if required.

Industries and brands I have advised

Services b2b

Air France-KLM Cargo, Aon, Art Associates, Atradius, Entrpnr, Fespa Netherlands, Fiscaal Totaal, Hoenderdos, Institute for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Inter Access, Ipsos, Koninklijke Saan, Leaseplan, MKB In Business, MKB Vangnet, PinkRoccade, Raet, Stichting 155-Help-a-bedrijf, Sycada, Technicum Unique, TNT Express WorldWide, VAI, YES Leadership.

Services b2c

Agis, Alex, Axa, Amicon, Bayar, Bunnik-Projekten, Canal Digitaal, Centraal Beheer Achmea, Connexxion, Content, Creyf’s, Delta Lloyd, Fitkids, FreeBees, GlaxoSmithKline, Groot Verzet Tegen Kanker, GVB, Heliomare, Hollandsnieuwe, Interpay, Ilse Media, KLM, La Bloemen, MSD, Nationale-Nederlanden, Openbaar Vervoer Utrecht, Oxxio, Palet Flevoland, Park-line, Shiatsu Purmerend, Sky Radio, Wakker Dier, ZVA, Zaanse Golf Club, Zilveren Kruis Achmea.

Sustainable b2b and b2c

Caterpillar, Dell, Federation Gold & Silver, Forbo Krommenie, Honda, Hunter Douglas, Info’Products, Moulinex, Opel, Philips, Radson, Remeha, Robin Radar, Volkswagen.

Education institutes

Adriaan Roland Holstschool Bergen po, Adriaan Roland Holstschool Bergen vo, Alba Academy, Calvijn College Amsterdam vo, Comenius Lyceum Amsterdam vo, Cygnus Gymnasium Amsterdam vo, De Savornin Lohman Hilversum vo, Geert Groote College Amsterdam vo, Havo De Hof Amsterdam vo, Het Baken Almere vo, Horizon College Alkmaar/Heerhugowaard/Purmerend ROC, Inter-national School Almere, Meiboom Hoofddorp po, Stichting Vrijescholen Ithaka po, Parcival Hoorn po, RSC Haarlem vo, Rudolf Steinerschool Alkmaar po, Rudolf Steinerschool Haarlem po, Stad College Almere vo, Sterrenzanger Alkmaar po, Toermalijn Hillegom po, Vitusmavo Naarden vo, Vrije School Kennemerland Haarlem po, Vrije School Kleverpark Haarlem po, Vrije School Zaanstreek po, Waterlandschool Purmerend po, Willem de Zwijger College Bussum vo.

Government and semi-government

Ministry of Transport (promotion of maritime professions), Roteb, STD Foundation (AIDS public campaign).

Retail

Albert Heijn, Bol.com, BP, Budget Rent a Car, Délifrance, Gamma, Hertz, Keukenhof, Marks & Spencer, Meubelplein Leiderdorp, Mobil, Nuon, Plus supermarkets, Shell, Simon Lévelt, SNS Bank, Vomar.

Food

Bacardi, Baronie-De Heer, Bavaria, Bieze, Calvé, Coca-Cola, Cono Kaasmakers, Hero, Kellogg’s, Knorr, Kraft Jacobs Suchard, Melk/Nederlands Zuivel Bureau, Paturain, Rambol, St. Moret, Proctor & Gamble, Schweppes, Silvo, Unilever, Vicks.

Non-food

Boots International Healthcare, Dixan, Elsevier, Henkel, Hasbro, SC Johnson, Leeuwarder Courant, J/M for Parents, NRC Handelsblad, Organon, Parool, Philip Morris, Schick/Warner Lambert, Strepsils, Trouw, Vidal Sassoon, Volkskrant, Weekblad Pers.

Tourism

Bizztrip, DFDS Seaways, Eurotunnel, Garuda Indonesia, Sally Ferries.